Experiencing History at the Ballpark
One of the most exciting aspects of visiting a Major League ballpark—whether on a chilly Tuesday night in April, a sunny Sunday afternoon in August, or any other day—is the unpredictability of witnessing historical moments. Just refer to the spectators at Yankee Stadium last Saturday. You never know when a player might deliver a legendary performance that will be talked about for years.
Rare but Memorable Achievements
These remarkable occurrences don’t happen very often, which is part of their charm. When the conditions are just right, the anticipation makes it all worthwhile.
Upcoming 2025 Feats to Watch
With much of the 2025 season ahead, here are seven incredible feats we are particularly eager to see, along with a speculation on which player might achieve each one. (The feats are listed from the most recently recorded to the earliest, with numbers based on AL/NL history.)
1. Perfect Game
This is the most recent accomplishment on our list; however, prior to Germán’s performance, there hadn’t been a perfect game in nearly 11 years since Félix Hernández in August 2012. There have only been 24 perfect games on record since the 19th Century. While the rarity of complete games today diminishes the likelihood of a perfect game in 2025, achieving perfection—where no runners reach base—remains a significant challenge, requiring both a strong defense and a bit of luck.
2025 Candidate: Logan Webb, Giants
Webb has performed well at Oracle Park, boasting a career ERA of 2.78, and has thrown shutouts in the last two seasons. With new talent on the Giants’ infield, he stands a decent chance of creating quick outs during games.
2. Four-Homer Game
A four-homer game is statistically more uncommon than a perfect game, having been accomplished by just 18 players in MLB history. This includes notable hitters like Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays, and Mike Schmidt, but also some surprise names like Scooter Gennett, who hit four homers on June 6, 2017, representing nearly 5% of his career total. While games featuring three homers were common from 2018-24, not a single player achieved four during that time.
2025 Candidate: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
Ohtani has consistently hit an average of 45 home runs annually since 2021 and is known for rising to the occasion. After nearly accomplishing this feat, he remains a strong contender for achieving this record.
3. Seven-Hit Game
While six-hit games have become somewhat more frequent, particularly since Ohtani’s feat in 2023, a seven-hit game is extraordinarily rare, only recorded six times in history. The combination of modern gameplay restrictions makes this achievement even more difficult, with 2024 showing limited opportunities for players to reach seven at-bats.
2025 Candidate: Luis Arraez, Padres
With back-to-back 200-hit seasons and playing within a high-scoring lineup, Arraez is a solid candidate, provided the conditions favor high-scoring games.
4. Twenty-Strikeout Game
The last instance of a pitcher striking out 20 batters in a game was Max Scherzer in 2016, and achieving this milestone is increasingly challenging due to modern pitching strategies. Only five times has this feat been accomplished in nine innings, and with current trends, the margin for error continues to shrink.
2025 Candidate: Dylan Cease, Padres
As an established pitcher, Cease may have the chance to extend his outings in pursuit of a milestone, especially after demonstrating significant capability in achieving high strikeout counts in past seasons.
5. Unassisted Triple Play
This unique achievement relies on a specific moment in a game rather than cumulative statistics. Only 15 players have accomplished this, a rarity that requires precise circumstances. It involves at least two on-base runners and can often occur during a line drive situation.
2025 Candidate: Ezequiel Tovar, Rockies
Tovar, a young and athletic shortstop, could find himself in the right position to achieve this feat, especially given the number of baserunners expected with the Rockies’ pitching staff.
